Calm Before the Storm
by Rae TB
Summary: Kai's a hardened over general who has lost his one true love in battle. This is his story... KaixRei, yaoi, au.
1. tell me a story

Dedications: Kit who convinced me this was not a stupid idea for a fic, Sev whom I love lots, and darkness-sama this is basically an homage to her and her greatness. She's away right now but I hope when she gets back it meets her approval...this is an idea I've had for a while but like I said...I thought it was stupid so until now I didn't touch it but anyway...here you go.

Hardened crimson eyes focused on a flickering fire the flames devouring a piece of wood a slow sigh leaving the man's throat. Outside new recruits could be heard fooling around a growl ripping through Kai's throat. "Idiots...Horse play just gets people hurt..." he hissed standing going to peer out the window. Kai gritted his teeth together in rage his body tense as he went outside yelling at the recruits forcing them back inside.  
  
"YOU IDIOTS SOMEONE COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED!" Kai roared in rage. The rookies looked at their general in confusion not understanding what they had did wrong. They were just having some fun. Kai had always been known to be harsh and cruel but for no reason at all? What was he doing there anyway? He was a general and they were just privates. It wasn't his duty to train them.  
  
"Sir what are you doing here-"Tala started as Kai growled. "It's none of your business...I simply came by to watch you train the privates and check their progress ...and I can see you're doing a shitty job if you're letting them do whatever the fuck they want!" he barked as the others winced including the sergeant himself.  
  
Other men higher up than the young rookies would always tell the privates that there was a time he wasn't so unfair and cruel. It was hard to believe however with the way he treated every person around him even those that loved him and were just trying to help. The young privates sighed listening to him jabber on half heartedly.  
  
"God damn it stop being so hard on Tala! He did nothing wrong!" Will growled as Kai stiffened looking down at the boy. "And who are you?" he growled privates nearby Will inching away as he simply smirked. "A smart ass private. Though in my opinion that's better than being someone with something UP their ass all the time," he stated crossing their arms.  
  
Kai simply glared not responding before slamming the door as he left leaving the young men confused as they looked over at their older and wiser superior who had been assisting them. "Tala...why does Kai have a stick up his butt twenty-four seven?" Will mumbled as Ax slapped him glaring as he hissed. "Will!"  
  
"No Ax...he's right..." Tala stated sitting down looking into the flames. "He just...hasn't been the same ever since...that day..." he sighed leaning on his elbow as the others looked at each other wondering if they wanted to know.  
  
"That day...?" Todd mumbled curiously as Tala sighed. "Sit down...I figure you kids ought to know..." he muttered watching them sit.  
  
"I guess it all started when..." Tala mumbled in a hushed voice the rookies gathering around his feet intently.

"I heard there was a new batch of recruits today..." Kenny stated from where he was behind the bar serving Lee another drink who sighed. "They pissed Kai off again I bet..." he muttered sighing. "Always do after all..." Lee mumbled putting his glass down as Kenny frowned. "Poor things...that man's probably pushing him like dogs..." Lee commented sneering and growling anytime he said Kai's name.  
  
"Lee..." he started trailing off giving him a refill.  
  
"Yeah?" he questioned taking another drink as Kenny looked away.  
  
"What...what happened that night exactly...? I mean...not just that night...everything...from the very beginning...What could have possibly happened that would make you hate Kai so much? You two used to be the best of friends!" he said inhaling sharply as Lee stiffened resting his glass down staring into it smiling sadly.  
  
"I haven't told anybody since it happened...I wasn't able to...it was just so painful and it still is...We both loved Rei...but it was him that got him in the end...and it was him that killed him. I will never forgive Kai for what he's done. Rei's blood is on his hands," The dark haired man snarled allowing a single water droplet of anger to roll down his cheek as he clenched his teeth. "I suppose...it might help to talk about it I guess..." he sighed looking at the short bartender. "Swear not to tell...?" he asked.  
  
"Swear it Lee," he stated watching him inhale slowly.  
  
"Okay so it happened like this..." Lee started leaning in voice hushed.

"Rei..." Kai mumbled calloused fingers tracing his features a small sigh leaving his throat. Crystal tears slid down his face dropping on the picture. Tears he hadn't allowed himself to shed all those years ago. "This is all my fault!" he cried throwing the picture to the ground watching the glass shatter as he sunk to the floor in a disheveled heap.  
  
"How could I have let that happen..." he mumbled burying his face in his hands. "It was three years ago but I still remember it clearly...it's burnt into my memory..." he whispered. Day and night the events from all those years ago haunted him like a looming shadow that would never leave his side. It hung over him and just when he believed he had moved on it swept down again.  
  
"Kai," a commanding voice said knocking on the door angrily as his higher up sighed. "Damn..." he mumbled going to check it out opening the door. "What do you want Tyson?" he hissed as the blue haired man scowled. "For you to stop feeling sorry for yourself! Do you think Rei would want this?! It's been three years Kai! Three years! Get over it already it wasn't your fault!"  
  
"GET OVER IT?!" Kai hissed teeth gritted. "I'm sorry but I'm afraid I can't just 'Get over it'," Kai snarled viciously eyes filled with rage. "I was his higher up...he counted on me...and I let him down..."  
  
"You didn't let him down Ka-"Tyson started as Kai growled his hand crashing down on the table. "You don't understand!" he screeched.  
  
"Then make me understand!" Tyson growled as a raging storm started. One that reflected Kai's enter turmoil. The man sighed looking downwards as the thunder sounded like a roaring lion lightening flickering across the sky.  
  
"I loved him...with all my heart with all my soul...I would have died for him...You don't even know half of it Tyson!" he screamed as Tyson sighed.  
  
"You're right I don't...so why don't you educate me huh? What went down all those years ago Kai? What was it that has you so haunted to this day?!" he growled as the crimson eyed man sighed sitting down. "Take a seat Tyson...it's a long story..." he mumbled burying his head in his hands. "I'll tell you everything...from when we first met to the very end..." Kai sighed his own fire crackling just as the one in the other room had...just like it had on that night...  
  
"I have time," Tyson stated sitting eyes focused intently on Kai as he took a deep breath before beginning his tale.  
  
"It was a cold night in November...Rei was just a new recruit..." Tala started unaware that nearby Kai and Lee were telling the same tale with the same opening sentence.


	2. first encounter

Dedications: darkness-sama my godess, Kit my advisor, Sev my queen.

_Three years ago November:_

Crimson blood speckled the dirt as a hunched over boy coughed painfully groaning. He quenched his eyes shut praying for it to end as a foot collided with his side sending him sprawling in the dirt. Rei hissed with pain amber eyes focusing in on his enemy as he let out a strangled moan of pain.  
  
"Come on rookie. Get up if you have it in you," one of his higher ups hissed bringing his foot down on the privates back. Rei cried out in pain wincing unable to take anymore pain that the sergeants were inflicting upon him. "Tsk tsk tsk...first you do something wrong and then you can't take the consequences?" the sergeants sneered as he flinched.  
  
"What did I do wrong exactly?" he growled gasping in pain attempting to get up as he got flung to the ground yet again. "You got in our way. WE run this place rookie...and you should be licking our boots!" the man stated kicking him in his face sending him backwards as he groaned.  
  
"STOP RIGHT THERE!" a voice thundered the sergeants freezing as they turned around slowly. "Oh shit it's colonel Kai..." they gulped as he approached. "If memory serves me correctly...it is not the duty of sergeants to pick on a private for 'getting in the way'. This is an honorable army facility where we respect each other. Understood?!" Kai hissed as the others nodded nervously their bodies stiff.  
  
"Oh and...one more thing..." Kai started before punching one in the gut, blocking a punch another threw at him, tripping the last one with a wide smirk. "Don't dare pick on someone with less status again...understood?!" he hissed as they once again nodded out of fear. "Now get out of my site..." he mumbled watching them leave as he heaved Rei up.  
  
"Are you okay private?" he questioned as Rei blinked. "Y-You saved me..." he mumbled in shock. "Hmm...yeah well...don't think so highly of yourself...Would have done that for anybody...besides...those men were weak. The fact that you couldn't even take them says a lot about you," he stated about to turn to leave as Rei caught his arm.  
  
"Then maybe...you could...train me...?" he questioned meekly as Kai chuckled. "Me?! Train a private? No way...you have sergeants to do that," he stated crossing his arms as Rei scowled. "Oh and we both saw what a good job they were on please Kai?" he begged as the man sighed. "Prove that it's worth my time...and I just might..." he stated walking off leaving Rei there as he watched after him in shock.  
  
"Wait don't you want my name?" he questioned watching as Kai paused. "Unless someone proves themselves worthy of my time I don't want to know their name or have anything to do with them," he hissed as Rei scowled. "Fine...but I WILL prove myself worthy...you can count on it Kai!"

"And he did prove himself...he met every challenge I threw at him and surpassed it beyond my wildest dreams..." Kai sighed leaning forward. "He didn't even know that I was watching him the entire time...that I was throwing these challenges at him when he least expected it..." Kai stated smiling sadly.  
  
"Don't stop now it was just getting interesting!" Tyson said in frustration.  
  
"Tyson...you're a major correct?" he asked sighing as Tyson nodded slowly. "Why does that matte-"he started getting cut off.  
  
"And Max is what a corporal?" he asked as Tyson nodded. "Yeah...so...?" he questioned raising a brow. "You're his higher up...and yet you two are going out...something which is strictly forbidden...Hell even if you were equals it would be frowned upon. You took a major risk even telling me. I could have had you kicked out of here for good...but I didn't because Rei and I later took the same risk. I understood what it was like...and just how deeply you had to love someone to do that..." he mumbled.  
  
"That and you didn't tell because we're buddies!...Right?" he asked as Kai rolled his eyes. "As I was saying-"he started. "Wait we ARE buddies aren't we?!" Tyson questioned. "Anyway November soon became December...""Rei hadn't seen Kai for months...he had been far too busy with his duties but Kai hadn't once left his thoughts. Kai too was spending a great deal of time thinking of Rei..." Tala sighed looking up as the door creaked open standing quickly about to salute Sion waved him off shaking his head.  
  
"Not necessary..." he stated looking outside at the stormy weather. "So what exactly are you doing here instead of training them?" he questioned as Tala cleared his throat. "Telling them the story..." he mumbled as Sion frowned. "The Kai and Rei one hm?" he sighed as Tala nodded. "You and Arek were captains at the time I believe...I was just a corporal..." he mumbled as Sion nodded.  
  
"Yes...and Ax here was only fifteen...not even in the army..." he stated glancing down at his little brother who smiled up at him. "Would you like to continue the story major?" he questioned as Sion sighed. "Just call me Sion Tala...no need for formalities right now...but sure why not..." he mumbled sitting down.  
  
"Did you play a role in this story Sion?" Todd asked blinking as he nodded. "A small one...I just gave Kai advice really...Arek played an equally small role..." he stated referring to his best friend and Todd's boyfriend. Todd smiled nodding slowly.  
  
"Now what part were you up to Tala?" Sion questioned. "Right after Rei had proven himself worthy..."  
  
"Oh yes there..." Sion sighed continuing.

_Three years ago...december:_

"Eck...where do you think they get this slop they feed us Rei?" Max asked pushing it around his plate in disgust. Rei simply shrugged sighing as he watched his sergeant enter. Max blinked and then smiled lightly. "I think sergeant Lee has a thing for you Rei..." he mumbled as Rei scowled. "Yeah well..." he mumbled pushing around his own food. "His feelings aren't returned I'm afraid..." he trailed looking for Kai. Why hadn't he seen him since that day?  
  
Sion glanced over at Kai raising a brow. "You're not still avoiding that private are you? What's the big deal?" he mumbled as Kai sighed scowling. "It's none of your business Sion...I just don't want to admit he's worthy of my training..." he growled as Sion and Arek passed each other skeptical glances. "Or maybe you just don't want to risk falling in love..." Arek muttered as Kai stiffened.  
  
"Me?! In love...with a private?!" Kai growled eyes narrowing. "Don't be ridiculous...What the hell are you doing hanging around me for anyway?! Don't you have some captain like duties or something..." he grumbled as they shook their heads. "Lunch break," Sion stated as Kai frowned slapping his forehead.  
  
"Damn lunch breaks..." he mumbled before entering the mess hall his eyes focusing on Rei as he approached him. "You've passed all my tests...I'll train you. However it has to be done in secret and no one can know understood?!" he hissed as Rei nodded in confusion.  
  
"What tests...?" he questioned as Kai grinned. "Meet me tonight at 11:30 in the training area...see you then, he stated walking away as Rei watched in shock. "What tests?!" he questioned again growling. "Fine...I'll be there..." he growled standing watching him walk away. He would be ready for whatever Kai threw at him alright. He would past meet every challenge and be the best student he ever had. Only one question remained...  
  
How would he be able to sneak away that night without getting caught?  
  
TBC....  
  
[Author notes: Sion and Arek belong to darkness-sama NOT ME. Ax, Will etc are mine. Everything else belongs to the beyblade people. Review and I will be a happy little puppy.] 


End file.
